Newcomer Profile: Why Landing at Oklahoma Was a 'Blessing' For OT Spencer Brown

The Michigan State transfer wasted no time jumping at the opportunity to work with Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

NORMAN — Transferring to Oklahoma is a big opportunity for Spencer Brown. 

The former Michigan State offensive tackle had his eyes on the 2024 NFL Draft, but after a tumultuous year for the entire Spartan program, he felt he had more to prove before pursing his professional dreams. 

Brown’s process to find a new home had one goal in mind — land at a spot that can help him improve his draft prospects. And picking up the phone to hear OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh on the other end helped the veteran tackle make a quick decision. 

“(It was) a blessing,” Brown said last month, “and I don’t take it for granted because a lot of people wish they was in my shoes. 

“When you talk about o-line you’ve got to mention his name. So that first conversation was honestly speechless for him to take a chance on me and give me an opportunity.”

Brown started 24 games throughout his Michigan State career, but it didn’t take long for him to determine he wanted to test the transfer portal waters. 

“After the last game, Penn State… I was just getting a lot of feedback,” Brown said. “Just talking to mentors, hearing from different scouts and stuff like that and I felt like it was just the right thing for me to do to come back. I had more on the table.”

Brown said he leaned on his family and coaches to sift through the feedback before entering the portal. 

By December 6, Brown became Oklahoma’s first transfer portal commit. 

Bedenbaugh’s reputation immediately jumped off the page to Brown, and the change at offensive coordinator didn’t alter his belief in the development opportunity playing for the Sooners could be.

“I wanted to be with the best o-line coach in the country,” Brown said. “… I felt like he had that track record and really put my hand in the pile, get to work and better my craft.”

On top of Bedenbaugh’s sterling record of sending linemen to the NFL who not only get drafted but hang around and enjoy long careers, Brown loved Bedenbaugh’s ability to help spur the development of offensive line transfers — specially offensive tackles. 

“Looking at Walter Rouse,” Brown said, “looking at Tyler Guyton… Looking at some of these tackles and these guys coming in I felt like he’s a good guy and he can develop these guys and put them out at the next level and they excel at the next level too. So it’s a blueprint and it’s a plan and you’ve just got to follow it and add it up at the end.”

Brown was part of a sizable offensive line group that the Sooners brought in via the portal. 

Michael Tarquin, an offensive tackle who played for both Florida and USA, also arrived this offseason as well as offensive guards in North Texas’ Febechi Nwaiwu and Washington’s Geirean Hatchett. 

Thus far, OU’s coaching staff has been pleased with how the new faces have gotten acclimated. 

“Spencer Brown and Michael Tarquin, those guys have done a really, really nice job of trying to gel together and learn,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said last week. 

Even with all the transition this offseason, Brown was never too worried about how quickly he’d get up to speed. 

“I’m just trying to keep my head down, get to work and learn as much as I can from everybody,” Brown said. “And just have fun, that’s the main thing. Just have fun and be the best person that I can be.”

Returners Troy Everett and Jacob Sexton were key for Brown, as he leaned on that duo throughout winter workouts to pick up all the intricacies of playing under Bedenbaugh. 

Learning and growing has always pushed Brown and been central to how he attacks each day, and the opening months of his Oklahoma career have been no different. 

“It’s always about constantly learning,” Brown said. So for me I approach everything as if I don’t know it and go in as I’m new. Trying to learn as much as I can and just keep getting better. 

“You never really arrive anywhere. So I use my experience to my advantage but I still feel like I’m behind because I’ve got so much work to do.”